I am so wrong about his garden. It seems he has one target, and I am it as he trods all over Kyan’s plants. I burst into the house, looking for somewhere to hide. I glance at the steps, realizing it will be the most obvious place for him to check if I run to the room.
So, I choose the kitchen instead. The door flings open, and I look for somewhere to hide. Lucas snickers and points to the pantry. “Old meat locker window, climb through and go up the laundry shoot,” Lucas says just as I hear the front door open. Lucas shut me in the walk-in pantry and I flick on the light. I have to move some stuff off the shelf before finding the old window.
“He expects me to fit through that,” I curse.
“Get your scrawny ass through it,” Kora laughs, and I climb onto the second shelf and freeze when I hear the kitchen door open up.
“Woah, Kaif,” Lucas calls out.
“Where did the little witch go?” Kaif demands, and I freeze.
“No idea who you are talking about,” Lucas says. “Cookie?” I hear him ask, and Kaif growls.
I hear him walk back out. And I shove the window open and start crawling through when I knock a can of something off the shelf. I freeze, listening only to hear the kitchen door open quickly and bang against the door.
“You didn’t lie to me, did you, Lucas?” Kaif growls.
“Me, not all; I never saw Marabella run and hide in the pantry,” Lucas gives me up. I shriek, scrambling through the gap just as the door is opened.
“Traitor!” I call to Lucas as Kaif tries to grab me. I fall into the laundry on my butt. Kaif sticks his head through the gap, but the rest of him definitely would not fit through the window.
“Tick tock, little wolf, I will get you.”
“Gotta catch me first,” I snicker, chucking a sock at his head. It smacks him between the eyes before landing on his snout. He shakes his head, and it falls off while I get to my feet and back away from the window.
“Only one way out there,” Kaif says before disappearing, but he is wrong. I look for the laundry shoot and find it behind the door. After climbing in, I use my feet and hands to climb up it. I’m only a few feet up when the laundry door opens, and I remain still.
I hold my breath, and he leaves the room, closing the door behind him. I wait a few minutes to make sure he is definitely gone before deciding to climb back down since he has gone upstairs. Although I probably would have been better going up, there isn’t much room, and the moment I unstick my foot, I crash to the bottom. I groan, shoving the laundry shoot shutter up to find Kaif sitting on a stool. I close the shutter, ripping it down.
His laughter echoes in the square box I am in. He knocks on the shutter. “Knock, knock,” Kaif laughs.
“Who’s there?” I giggle before it is ripped open.
“Are you an idiot? Who else would it be?” Kora huffs.
“Caught you,” Kaif growls.
I slap at his giant hands as he tries to grab me when he grips my ankles and yanks me out. I flinch, expecting to smash my head on the hard floor when I am suddenly upside down. Kaif tosses me, and I scream before he swings me upright and crushes me against his chest.
“Don’t ever do that again,” I slap at him, feeling like I am going to throw up when the door bursts open. A panicked Lucas rushes in, and he sighs loudly with relief and clutches his heart.
“Are you okay?” I ask him, looking over Kaif’s giant shoulder. Kaif turns to him.
“Yes, fine, thought Kaif had turned savage and was going to eat you,” Lucas says while catching his breath. Kaif laughs.
“Mm, not a bad idea,” Kaif chuckles, hoisting me higher and over his shoulder, so I am half upside down. Lucas steps aside, allowing Kaif to duck through the door and head toward the stairs.
“Wait, you’re not really going to eat her, are you?” Lucas says, rushing after us. He pulls on Kaif’s arm, and Kaif lifts it from his grip.
“What are you talking about?” Kaif asks him. Lucas clears his throat and stares at me worriedly.
“Kyan won’t forgive you if you hurt her, Kaif. Be reasonable.” Wait, did he really think Kaif eats people? He doesn’t, does he? But why is he so scared for me?
“What are you blabbering about, Lucas? I wouldn’t hurt her,” Kaif huffs.
“But you just said you were going to eat her.”
“Not that sort of eating, and I would leave that to Kyan.” My face turns bright red at his words. It doesn’t seem to click, thank god for Lucas until it does, and his eyes widen, and he blushes. The man actually blushed.
“Oh right, carry on, ah enjoy your meal then?” He did not just say that. Lucas rushes off back to the kitchen.
“I will tell Kyan,” Kaif laughs while stalking up the steps.
“I think he actually thought I meant literally eat you,” Kaif laughs.
“I would prefer if that is what he believes. I can never look him in the eye again. He will think we are up to no good.”
“But I am up to no good,” Kaif chuckles, tugging my flats off my feet.
“Kaif, what are you doing?” I snap, kicking my legs when he grabs my socks, pulling them off. He laughs, undressing me while he walks up the steps and down the hall. By the time we get to the room, I only have my knickers left, shirt and sweater on.
He shoves Kyan’s door open before the air is knocked out of me and I am falling backward. My back hits the bed, and I bounce on it. Kaif chuckles darkly at my frightened face, and I growl in return. He shifts quickly. Kyan is also laughing at me as he crawls onto the bed. A devious smile appears on his lips as he grips my underwear.
“Kyan!” I hiss.
“Ella,” he teases, ripping them off and jerking me down the bed by my hips.